


Xcom 2 - Episodic Series

by jaxprog



Category: XCOM (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Character building, F/M, Original Character(s), Scene Building, Serial Episodes, deep point of view
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 20:10:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16919586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaxprog/pseuds/jaxprog
Summary: Episode 1: The RookieOperation: Mr. Rodger's NeighborhoodXcom Team:Lt. Arjun Babu, India, Code Name: Strider, RangerSgt. Terrell Stephens, USA, Code Name: Ko Ko, SpecialistSgt. Holly Warder, Austrailia, Code Name: Holly, SniperSgt. Genzo Suzuki, Japan, Code Name: Shogun, RangerSqd. Scott Heel, England, Code Name: Breaker, GunnerRookie Jill Kortley, USAThe episode is presented to you in Jill Kortley's point of view. In other words you will experience the mission in Jill's skin. You will expierence what she thinks, feels and what she believes is important to her, while undertaking this mission. This is an effort to write in Deep Point of View. I may need more practice and hone that skill, but that's what I shooting for. Hope you enjoy it.





	Xcom 2 - Episodic Series

**Bradford’s Mission Briefing** : Operation Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

Listen up.

The resistance has picked up data transmissions inside the old suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. The area is an old abandoned neighborhood with decaying houses and we expect the lost to be present. We think that Advent is keeping a low profile in there.

So, we’re going to keep a low profile too and take this opportunity to test a new high-powered submachinegun with an attached silencer. We’ve issued rangers, specialists and rookies with the experimental weapons. Snipers and gunners only should engage if necessary.

Keep a low profile, locate the data terminal, grab all the data you can and get back in one piece.

 

 

A skinny, petite, dark-short haired woman shot her hand forward, balling a fist and extending her middle finger at the CCTV, Bradford going offline. She protested, with a distinct Australian accent. “It’s going to be fucking necessary.”

That was Holly, uncouth. They had boarded the dropship and Holly ignored her the whole time as if she hadn’t even existed. She glanced at Holly.

Arjun furrowed an eyebrow. “Easy there.”

Holly caught her glance, stroking her sniper rifle and returned a scowl.

A heaviness swelled inside her. What could she do, fit in and get along? She tugged at her vest and looked away.

Arjun pulled a case from under his seat. “Get your weapons from the cases below your seats.”

A hairy faced man sitting next to Holly thumped his minigun. “Fucking bullshit. How I’m supposed support you all if I have to hold my fire?”

That was Breaker. He spoke with British accent but sounded like a thug.

She looked at him.

Breaker stared directly back at her. “Well.”

What was she supposed to say? This would be the first time she’d used a weapon other than firing at a target dummy aboard the avenger. She swallowed a hard lump that hung in her throat. “I don’t know.”

Breaker slammed his hand against his minigun.

Turbulence shook the dropship.

Queasiness turned in her stomach. She didn’t like Holly’s or Breaker’s attitude. She gripped hard on her seat’s frame turning her head toward the stomach-bulging, bald, black man next to her. He was called Ko Ko.

Ko Ko pulled his submachine gun from the case, smiling and held it up. “Sweet. What do you think Weezil?”

Ko Ko’s voice came across deep, but yet like a gentle giant.

A gremlin dashed up from next to Ko Ko and leaned forward hovering. The gremlin projected a beam of light over the weapon.

Ko Ko nodded his head, his face lighting up. “He’s awesome, isn’t he?”

Holly rolled her eyes.

The gremlin shut the light beam off, giving a shaking nod of approval.

“What is that? A new trick you taught it?” Holly said.

Weezil turned toward Holly, squealing a lowly wail.

“Just remember that when your bleeding on the field.” Ko Ko said.

Weezil, blurted another short lowly sound at Holly.

Holly flicked them both off. “Yeah right.”

She gripped her seat’s frame tighter, staring into the craft’s deck. Could this be the last time she saw Eric and Tina. She’d watch them from inside the dropship, waving like it may have been the last goodbye. The mechanical door shut as if she’d be gone forever. What was she doing here? Weren’t men and not women supposed to be the soldiers in war?

Arjun’s voice injected into her ears, his Indian accent twisted her name. “Jill”

She jolted her head up looking at Arjun.

His skin tone mixed a balance of dark and light and his build hosted cut and lean strength. His voice projected authority and harmonized calmness. “Get your weapon.”

She widened her eyes. “Yes, sir.”

Next to Arjun was an oriental man, who hadn’t uttered a single word since they boarded the dropship. He just sat there staring into the ship’s bulkhead like in a stateless meditation with his eyes wide open. He hadn’t even opened his weapon case yet. It didn’t seem to matter to Arjun either.

She grabbed the case from under her seat and opened it.

It was like something out of movie that only highly skilled heroes used.

Although this weapon was different, its parts, like the pistol grip, barrel, or magazine well, refreshed her memory of Shen’s lessons back on board the Avenger. She picked it up, snuggled a magazine in and pulling the sling around and over her neck.

Holly took bubblegum from her vest pouch and unwrapped it. “You know what I think?”

Ko Ko looked at Holly. “What?”

Holly placed the gum in her mouth, chewing and pointed at her. “I think she’s coming back in a body bag.”

Breaker snickered. “Fucking, rookie.”

Her stomach sunk below her bowels, ickiness swelled in her throat. She closed her eyes looking away. There was just no way she’d die now. At least not until she knew her son and daughter were safe from Advent.

Arjun’s voice calm yet stern intervened. “That’s enough, Holly.”

Holly blew a bubble, sucking it back into her mouth. “Fuck man. Look at her. She’s timid.”

She bit down hard. Timid? Has Holly ever made sacrifices for her children? She doubted, Holly had any children. And Breaker, did he walk on water on his first mission? She didn’t know and dared not speak. She gazed down at the deck.

Arjun repeated himself, a monotone order. “Enough.”

Holly ranted on. “Why doesn’t the commander just put all the rookies on their own mission and see which one comes back alive.”

She glanced back up at Arjun.

Arjun shot from his seat and grabbed Holly’s chin.

Holly released her sniper rifle.

Arjun pulled Holly’s head into himself, squeezing her cheeks.

Holly gripped his wrists, her voice defiant and garbling. “You’re fucking hurting me.”

He squeezed her harder, the chewing gum rolling out of her mouth.

She let go of his wrists, her voice straining. “Okay. I get it.”

He let go of her, staring her down, locking eye contact without so much as a flinch.

A dead silence filled the cabin.

Holly broke eye contact with Arjun, making eye contact with her. Holly rubbed her chin, scowling at her.

She hated Holly already and it hadn’t even been one mission yet. She looked away from Holly’s scowling stare.

The intercom broke the silence. “30 seconds.”

The cabin went dark and lit up red.

Arjun turned toward Ko Ko. “Keep Jill near you. Cover fire and stay mid-point.”

Ko Ko gave a thumbs up. “Got it boss.”

She looked over at the oriental man.

He took his weapon from the case, locking and loading it as if he done so a thousand times. He had a sword like Arjun, but his was different. It looked like something an ancient Japanese warrior would have used. He stood up and walked toward the drop hatch his weapon slung, magazine in.

Holly looked at him and smiled.

The oriental man hooked a line to his harness, his face stone -cold.

Arjun stood next to him, snapping a D-Ring. “Hook up.”

This was really happening. She swallowed hard and stood up without thinking, running the drop line through her harness’ D-Ring.

The intercom sounded. “4”

“Let do this.” Breaker said.

“3”

“Maintain silence going down the line.” Arjun said.

“2”

“Fuck”. Breaker said.

“1”

The door opened.

She jumped without hesitation into darkness. She pulled on the line just like in the training simulation back on the avenger. Her descent slowed. She was in control.

Her feet hit the ground.

The dropship thrusted upward and out of sight.

“Radio check.” Arjun said.

His voice sounded in her comm piece.

She gave a thumbs up, copying everyone else.

The oriental man took off in dead heat sprint into the darkness of nowhere.

Arjun turned toward Ko Ko and repeated. “Cover fire and mid-point.”

Holly went ahead alone toward a dilapidated house.

Ko Ko motioned forward, Weezil floating above him.

Arjun sprinted off in different direction.

A moonless darkness saturated the area. Foliage covered nearby homes, seemed lifeless without windows, like men without eyes. Debris littered a potholed street, marked with splitting cracks. The air didn’t even rustle a single weed and the absence of summer night of crickets in chorus seemed like one could hear a pin drop.

She breathed heavy, following Ko Ko and Breaker up to a house and leaned against the outside wall.

Tile slid down, scraping.

She jumped away from the wall.

Ko Ko, turned toward her, placing his giant finger to his mouth. “Shhhhhhh.”

She murmured. “Sorry.”

Breaker swung his minigun up, snapping into a pointless direction. “I need to kill something.”

Ko Ko led the way, past several houses.

Nothing, but darkness.

Arjun’s voice sounded in her comm piece. “Lost, in the area.”

Holly responded. “Repositioning.”

Weezil repeated soft electronic grunts.

Ko Ko froze. “You smell something?”

She took a knee, bringing her weapon close to her heart.

Weezil gave an affirmative electronic grunt.

“Good. I’m getting bored.” Breaker said.

Weezil flew up to the next house, stopping at a window jiggling and flashing subtle LED lights.

A grotesque figure appeared in the window darting its head around.

Ko Ko took a knee. “Oh shit. Lost”

It looked at Ko Ko, wheezing a hard-raspy breath as if trying to scream.

Weezil jolted backward.

She breathed rapidly and squeezed the pistol grip, taking the safety off.

It thrusted itself, like a dive, out of the window doing a somersault toward her.

Two rapid puffed sounds and two cartridges flung out of Ko Ko submachine gun.

Larges pieces of flesh ripped away from the creature’s body, the creature rolling to a motionless stop two meters away.

She drew in a deep breath, a finger or two briefly trembled. “How many are there?”

“Not sure.” Ko Ko said.

Breaker dashed up to the window. “I’m going to find out.”

“Wait.” Ko Ko said.

Breaker was already at the window, peaking inside.

“I hope he knows what he’s doing. He seems reckless.” She said.

Ko Ko smiled, nodding. “He is. Isn’t he?”

Holly’s voice intervened through the comm. “Watch it Breaker. Two zekes in the living room.”

A different voice sounded. “Advent.”

Arjun responded. “Hold your position Shogun and give us a grid coordinate.”

“Is shogun the oriental man?” She said.

“Yeah, his name is Suzuki.” Ko Ko said.

“He doesn’t say much.” She said.

“Yeah, he’s quiet. Just don’t get in his way.” Ko Ko said.

“Zekes exiting the house into the front yard. Ko Ko, do you have a visual?” Holly said.

“Not yet.” Ko Ko Said.

“How can you not see them. They’re right there and I can see you both.” Holly said.

Breaker edged up toward the corner of the house, peaking around front. “Ah Fuck.”

Raspy hisses penetrated the silence.

Ko Ko snapped in.

Weezil flew back behind, Ko Ko.

She copied Ko Ko, and brought her submachinegun to an aim.

Breaker fell back toward the window. “Fuck these rules of engagement.”

Two Lost charged from around the corner.

Ko Ko popped off two rounds.

Her heart pounded. A glaze hit her face.

One creature dropped.

The other lunged forward.

A freeze subdued her finger in the trigger guard. She murmured. “No.”

Two soft pops sounded again.

Hyperventilating, she blurted a brief squeal.

Pieces of flesh splattered. The hulk of the creature collapsed in front of her, its head twisted, that its lifeless eyes stared at her.

She fell backward, pushing away from the carcass with her legs.

Holly’s voice ripped through her ear comm. “What the fuck are you doing?”

She breathed hard. Was Holly referring to her?

“Ko Ko give me a sitrep.” Arjun responded.

“We gotta move.” Holly said.

“About time.” Breaker said.

“Downed three lost. We’re intact so far, sir.” Ko Ko said.

“Sending you a grid coordinate. Move quickly away from the area.” Arjun said.

“You better hurry. They’re stirring in the houses across the street.” Holly said.

Ko Ko’s massive hands grasped her like a crane pulling up a heavy load, his strength balanced and gentle. “You okay?”

She looked him in the eyes, breathing hard. “Thanks. I’m, I’m sorry.”

He let go of her and smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve seen worse.”

Was he just trying to make her feel good? She slung her submachine gun and grimaced. “Really?”

“Yeah. Let’s get to the grid.”

Ko Ko doubled time through and between houses.

She kept up, looking behind herself every so often.

Breaker was behind her.

Where was Holly? She kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Ko Ko kept going.

She must have moved at least 300 meters non-stop. She breathed hard.

Holly’s voice chimed in. “I’m in position. I’ve got eyes on the target. What’s he doing?”

“Ko Ko, give me an update.” Arjun said.

Ko Ko ran between a few more houses into an opening and stopped. “Oh Shit.”

“Way to go, Ko Ko.” Holly said.

An advent officer occupied himself in front a large house, looking through what maybe was a telescope. It was aimed at the night sky.

Ko Ko dashed up and ducking behind a nearby rotting wooden barrier like fence.

She followed, kneeling behind the barrier.

Breaker followed. “I’m going to kill that mother.”

Ko Ko put his finger to his mouth. “Shhhhhh.”

“You, lucky son of bitch.” Holly said.

Ko Ko smiled.

His smiled rubbed off on her.

She mirrored him with a grin.

“Sir, we’re behind a wooden barrier, a single target in sight.”

“I see you.” Arjun said.

“What’s the plan, sir?” Ko Ko said.

Breaker stood up, cresting the wooden barrier’s edge. “Show time.”

“Wait sir. Breaker…” Ko Ko said.

Breaker raised his grenade launcher and pulled the trigger. “Charge.”

She gasped. “What’s he doing?”

A fiery explosion lit up the darkness, vaporizing anything and everything in the front lawn, concussion sending wood and concrete in multiple directions, deafening her ears.

Holly’s voice barked through her comm device. “Oh. My. God.”

Breaker charged out into open cutting loose suppression fire into the house. “Die.”

Minigun rounds tore into wood, wall, concrete flinging debris with every round.

Rapid green energy pulses shot from behind structure and unknown points of darkness, tearing at the ground and fragmenting the wooden structure where ever it hit. Alien chatter sounded like panic.

Ko Ko shoved her to the ground forcing himself over her into a hunker.

Her heart beat rapidly and she resumed breathing hard. She couldn’t see anything.

Shogun muttered something in Japanese followed with… “Snake.”

“I see it. Viper.” Holly said.

“Take it down now.” Arjun said.

“Fuck, it moved to the side. Watch it, Ko Ko. It may be moving to your flank.”

“I’m watching.”  Ko Ko said.

Breaker’s suppression fire ended.

Ko Ko nudged her. “I know I can count you, right?”

Her heartbeat slowed, a warm feeling flowed inside her. She looked at Ko Ko.  “I won’t let you down.”

Ko Ko smiled. “Good, cause we might have one big ugly snake coming to visit us.”

She low crawled up to other side where Breaker last stood.

The idiot was standing out in the open, reloading.

She raised her voice at him. “Get back here, Breaker.”

He looked at her. “No way. I’m here to kill, not play games.”

“Weezil, get that fool under protection.” Ko Ko said

The gremlin lit up, with chirpy electronic sounds. It dashed up over what was left of the wooden barrier activating an energy field.

Arjun issued an order through the comm piece. “Breaker. Get back under cover now.”

The gremlin extended it energy field over Breaker.

Breaker yelled at the top of lungs, walking forward firing bursts into the house. “You all are going die. I’m indestructible now.”

Alien chatter got loud and hail of green bolts shot out again.

“Shogun open suppression fire on my mark.” Arjun said.

“Hai.” Shogun said.

Green energy bolts sliced through the air whizzing and shattering the ground Breaker walked on.

“C’mon Breaker, you know Weezil can only hold that for so long.” Ko Ko said.

Breaker snapped a rebuke. “Shut up!”

Argun opened up, his submachinegun’s flash suppressor lit up the darkness.

Shogun followed up, cutting loose more rounds into the alien cross fire.

The alien return fire ceased.

An advent trooper crossed a window.

She pulled the trigger and three rounds shot out.

The advent trooper’s chest shattered into green-yellow mist, throwing him.

“I got one.” She said.

“No, Bitch. That’s my kill. Your weapon can’t do that.” Holly said.

She snugged backward. “What?”

Ko Ko looked back at her. “Don’t listen to her.”

“I did kill him, right.” She said.

“Fraid not, but don’t listen to her anyway.”

She wouldn’t let Holly define her. She was going show that sniper cunt she could fight just as well as she could. She pulled her submachine gun into her shoulder and readied for the next opportunity.

Arjun and Shogun stopped firing and drew swords, starting a sprint toward the rear of the house.

“What are they doing?”

“Hopefully they won’t get killed.” Ko Ko said.

Weezil exhausted its protective field and withdrew.

Breaker unlatched the empty magazine.

“Breaker get the hell out of there.” Holly said.

A single energy shot came from Breaker’s flank from a group of houses near her and Ko Ko.

Breaker’s body exploded, ripping flesh and body armor. Half of a human being fell to the ground, no minigun in sight.

“Fucking stupid ass.” Holly said.

She gasped, ducking her head.

 “Area secured.” Arjun said.

“Data is here.” Shogun said.

 Ko Ko motioned at her. “That’s us. Let’s go.”

 “What about breaker?”

 Ko Ko got up. “He’s gone.”

 She stood up, taking her eye off of Ko Ko.

_Begin scene cinematic music: World Gone Crazy (Sensory Gate Remix) Sleepthief, 2009_

A blur of lighting movement snapped around Ko Ko, pulling him.

Weezil wailed an electronic squeal following its specialist.

Ko Ko screamed, something pulling him back toward the nearest house like rubber band.

Her heart pounded. “Ko Ko.”

“What the fuck are you doing, Jill?” Holly said.

His scream pierced behind the cloak of darkness from a nearby ruined house.

“Holly, what’s going on?” Arjun said.

“I can’t see anything.”

A jolt of adrenaline bolted through her. She sprinted toward Ko Ko’s agony into the dark house.

“I’m on my way.” Arjun said.

Ko Ko screamed again. “Somebody.”

She zeroed on his voice breaking through a door, entering a room.

The back wall was nothing but scrap wood and ruin. Behind it in plain sight a viper coiled Ko Ko in a death squeeze.

He screamed. “Jill. Shoot it.”

Weezil zig zag back and forth, blurting sounds as if it didn’t have direction and going bonkers.

She snapped in on the viper, screaming. “Let go of him.”

Holly voice filled her comm piece. “Where the fuck is it?”

The viper slithered backward distancing itself from her, hissing with Ko Ko in its gripping coil.

Ko Ko screamed again, blood trialing from his nose and from his mouth.

The viper furrowed its eyes at her, its forked tongue going out and back into its tiny mouth.

She just couldn’t shoot it. She might kill Ko Ko. She screamed again. “Let go.”

Holly’s voice hit her comm piece again. “Gotcha.”

A shot rang.

The viper flinched.

A nip of flesh bit away from the viper’s scaly body with a blood spurt following the bullet’s momentum.

The viper jolted backward, releasing Ko Ko.

Holly’s voice protested. “Fuck me. It grazed.”

Ko Ko hit the ground.

Weezil flew down hovering over Ko Ko shaking erratically.

She squeezed the trigger, cartridge shells streamed from the submachine gun’s round exhaust.

Green-orange welt-holes trailed up the viper’s meaty body, blowing bits of flesh away, scattering fluid everywhere and knocking it backward to a lifeless mess.

She let off the trigger.

Holly’s voice racked her comm piece again. “What the fuck are you doing down there?”

She ran up to Ko Ko. “Ko Ko.”

His eyes were closed, blood still trailing from his nose and mouth. He didn’t move.

She dropped to her knees begging the erratic gremlin. “Weezil, help him, please. Please help him.”

Weezil jolted back to life, spiraling upward and hovered over her.

She looked up at Weezil hovering over her. “Weezil hurry, help him. Don’t let him die.”

Weezil nodded giving affirmative electronic sounds and bleeps and dashed over Ko Ko hovering. A scanning beam activated, streams of energy spurted in doses over Ko Ko.

Wood cracked behind her. Something smashed. Rasps and breathless wheezes and incoherent voices sounded around her.

She turned.

A lost bolted toward her.

A brief mental image of Ko Ko squeezing his trigger twice possessed her intuition. Her trigger-finger complied with the mental image, double tapping the lost.

Its head exploded.

She pulled the submachine gun to her shoulder.

Another one exited a darkened hallway from the house she came through.

She doubled tapped the trigger.

Its body slammed against the wall dropping.

Hissing rasps to her left.

She turned left and double tapped.

The creature fell backward collapsing into jagged wood.

A deep raspy groan sounded behind her.

She turned. Pulled the trigger. Click.

It launched itself toward her.

Her heart beats slammed inside her chest. She let go of her weapon, tucked her head down, lifting up her arms and screamed. “No”.

From the corner of her eye she saw a blur of movement, then she heard a swish like cut in the air.

She looked up.

The creature’s torso separated from its waist, Arjun’s blade following through.

Rapid breaths shot in and out of her mouth, her heart pumping. She dropped to her knees, fumbling her hands on her submachine gun but she couldn’t put a grip on it.

There must have been a hundred them.

Arjun moved to one and sliced, to another and sliced and yet another and sliced.

Loud single pops racked her ears, one after another through the chaos.

She shifted right, looking.

Holly moved forward, her pistol tightly grasped with both her hands, squeezing off a rhythm of single shots.

Her heart pounded. She shifted again to her left and the back to her right.

Sounds of dying lost surrounded her in wheezy, wispy, rasps.

Shogun joined the bloodbath, creature’s bodies being rendered and torn, their numbers decreasing.

Would she survive? Her breathing slowed. She looked at Ko Ko.

His bleeding stopped. His big belly rose and sank.

She leaned into him, putting her head into his big chest.

His heart pumped.

She drew in a deep breath and smiled. “Thank you, Weezil.”

There was silence.

Rapid footsteps, like someone running, closed in toward her.

She hoisted herself up, looking.

Holly held her pistol in both hands, aiming at her. “Look what you did.”

She blinked rapidly. Holly snapped in on her. Why? What did she do to deserve this?

Holly was crazy. “You. You. You got Breaker killed. And…”

A cold sweat dripped from her brow. She shook her head. “No.”

Arjun approached, his voice calm. “Holly.”

Shogun walked behind Arjun a few steps, his sword drawn and watched.

Holly looked at Arjun, twitching her head. “Leave me alone.”

Arjun kept walking toward her. “Holly.”

“This rookie bitch almost killed us all.”

Arjun stepped in between her and Holly. “How many times do I have to tell you?”

“Don’t touch me.”

Her grabbed her neck.

She released her pistol, dropping it to the ground and sucked in blocked air.

He forced her in a downward motion controlling her. Her face turned red, tears swelling in her eyes.

Shogun sheathed his blade.

Holly’s knees touched the ground, her lungs gasping for air.

She swallowed hard. Was this what war does a person? Would she eventually become like Holly?

Arjun released her, kneeled next to her, putting his arm around her.

Holly bawled, coughing. “She’s not one of us.”

Holly’s weeping penetrated her soul.

Tears swelled up in her own eyes. Maybe she wasn’t really a sniper cunt? Maybe she was no different than herself, a victim of circumstance beyond one’s own control. The war. Advent. So many dead and all one knew was conflict each and every day that life on earth struggled and survived. Worse yet, what had she done not to fit in?


End file.
